


The Emotional Bottom

by yourlibrarian



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 15:11:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6759103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourlibrarian/pseuds/yourlibrarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following up on the essay about emotional power between Sam and Dean in S2, a look at how things have changed in S3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Emotional Bottom

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Symbolism of Topping](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6719296) by [yourlibrarian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourlibrarian/pseuds/yourlibrarian). 



> Originally posted April 12, 2008

I went back to an essay I'd written nearly a year ago now as I was curious to see what had changed in our (now nearly completed) S3 in SPN. It was interesting to see how much had changed -- at least on the show. In terms of the fic I've been seeing, not so much. And of course the character of Spike still hasn't changed at all.

The deal storyline has not simply meant that Sam is staying, but that Dean's storyline has become equally central with Sam's. This began developing in S2 as Dean was given secrets. The first was about his suspicions over why John died. The second was his knowledge of what John had told him about Sam. The John issue was critical and bore fruit in the very last episode as, motivated by his father, Dean follows his path. But it was a more subtle thread compared to the more visible focus on Sam's destiny during S2. 

I would say though, that Dean's deal has been more central in S3 than Sam's demon-king status. For one thing, although that's been referred to repeatedly, what it means has remained annoyingly elusive. Second, Sam's status has been tied up with the larger issue of the demon war, which itself has been somewhat hit and miss in terms of focus during the season. Dean's deal though is a central focus for both the characters. It's the way that Ruby, for example, gets any kind of "in" with Sam. It is more important to them than the larger war. While "Mystery Spot" was a great way of focusing on Sam's side of this issue, it was nevertheless an episode that centered on the repercussions of Dean's deal. 

Tellingly in S3, what we see is Dean _pulling away from Sam_. It no longer matters if Sam leaves him, because as things stand Dean will be the one leaving. Sam does not react well to this. He calls Dean on his emotional distance, something that becomes a point of transition in "Fresh Blood." At the end of the episode Dean bonds with Sam over the Impala, but it's still a reminder that he's leaving. Even when at the end of "Dream" he tells Sam he wants to live (stay), it is for his own reasons not because of Sam. We also see in "Jus in Bello", that Dean takes a firm stance against Sam's siding with Ruby, and persuades him to follow his plan. I've no idea how the season will end, but my hunch is that the cumulation of this growing independence of Dean from Sam is going to result in an externalized change of power between them in S4. 

In S7 of BtVS Spike returned with a new view on his relationship with Buffy. He was more direct with her about the state of things between them, and offered to leave (when he was in a less crazy state of mind). However this followed a huge betrayal on his part, a great deal of suffering on her behalf, and ended in his eventual death. I don't imagine anyone thinks Dean is going to stay dead if the deal goes through (though I will boggle if he comes back as a ghost). Dean has already made his sacrifice and hit bottom. We'll have to wait and see if he comes out on top.


End file.
